Saturday, December 31, 2011

NEW YORK (31-Dec) — Two athletes training in North Carolina, Landon Peacock of Blowing Rock and Stephanie Pezzullo of Charlotte, won the 33rd Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, a four mile road race held here in Central Park at the stroke of midnight.

Peacock, 24, a former University of Wisconsin Badger who now runs for the Reebok-sponsored ZAP Fitness program, clocked 18 minutes and 35 seconds, three seconds up on Tesfaye Dube, an Ethiopian athlete who runs for the New York-based West Side Runners club. Stephen Pifer, who runs for the Nike Oregon Track Club in Eugene, finished third in 18:48.

“It was a whole lot of fun,” Peacock said after running the race for the first time. He smiled and added: ”It was the most interesting way I’ve started a year.”

Pezzullo, 29, who represents Saucony, outlegged rivals Sarah Porter and Carmen Douma-Hussar in the final mile to win in 21:05, a personal best for the distance by 55 seconds. For Pezzullo it was her first Midnight Run victory; she was second back in 2006.

“Awesome, awesome,” Pezzullo said when she was asked how the race went. She continued: “It was just a great experience, and the crowd support was unbelievable.”

Porter, who like men’s winner Peacock runs for the ZAP Fitness program, crossed the finish line in 21:17 in her debut at the race. Douma-Hussar, a Canadian Olympian and former Midnight Run champion and course record holder, ran 21:26. Former Providence College standout Katie DiCamillo was fourth in 21:38.

Both Peacock and Pezzullo earned $600 each in prize money and time bonuses.

The New York Road Runners, the race founders and organizers, said about 5000 runners took part. A nearly 20 minute fireworks display accompanied the race.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Carmen Douma-Hussar, Sarah Porter, Landon Peacock and Christian Hesch set to race under a glittering sky of fireworks at midnight

NEW YORK - (December 27, 2011) - As 2011 winds down, New York Road Runners is gearing up to celebrate the new year with the legendary Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in Central Park at midnight on December 31. Professional athletes will toe the line with thousands of reveling New Yorkers, it was announced by NYRR president and CEO Mary Wittenberg.

The Midnight Run, a Central Park tradition since 1978, offers runners and spectators a fun and athletic way to celebrate New Year's Eve. As the ball drops in Times Square just blocks away, runners can party through a four-mile run knowing they won't drop the ball on their fitness this year. The run promises to be one of the most distinctive, cost-effective parties in all of Manhattan.

"The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run is a unique and active way to celebrate New Year's Eve in New York City," said Wittenberg. "It's the perfect way to start the New Year on the right foot, literally! We welcome friends and family to join an extravaganza of fun-from the run to the fireworks."

"We look forward to partnering with the NYRR for an eighth straight year, especially in such an iconic New York event," said Craig Tokusato, vice president of marketing at Diamond Foods, Inc. "The Emerald Nuts Midnight Run will be a great way to celebrate the new year in a fun, healthy and safe environment."

The festivities begin at 10:00pm with music and a massive dance party, followed by a spirited costume parade and contest at 11:00pm. At the stroke of midnight, runners will take off on a four-mile loop through Central Park while the night sky sparkles with a 17-minute fireworks show. Halfway through the race, runners will have the option of toasting the new year with a glass of non-alcoholic champagne at the two-mile mark.

In addition to the celebrations that are planned throughout the evening, a strong professional athlete field will race for a prize purse of $2000, including $500 apiece to the male and female winners. Canadian Olympian and 2007 Emerald Nuts Midnight Run champion Carmen Douma-Hussar will be up against Sarah Porter, the 2011 NCAA Division II 10,000 meter champion, who made her marathon debut in this year's ING New York City Marathon. Other top contenders in the women's field include Katie DiCamillo, Stephanie Pezzullo, Lesley Higgins and Sarah Cummings.

In the men's field, Landon Peacock, the 2010 Big Ten 5000 meter indoor champion, will compete against two-time Emerald Nuts Midnight Run champion (2003-04) and former course record holder Christian Hesch. Other top contenders in the men's field include Tim Ritchie and Stephen Pifer.

Douma-Hussar, 34, of Ardmore, PA, won this event in 2007 in 20:54. She was second in 2010 in 20:55.

Porter, 22, of Blowing Rock, NC, won the 2011 NCAA Division II 10,000m championship in 33:17.39. She finished the ING New York City Marathon this past November in 2:44:25.

Peacock, 24, of Blowing Rock, NC, won the 2010 Big Ten Indoor Championships 5000 meters in 14:11.94 for the University of Wisconsin. He was recently second at the Manchester Road Race (4.75 miles) on Thanksgiving Day in 21:39.

Hesch, 33, of Hollywood, CA, won this event in 2003 (19:36) and 2004 (18:28), and is a former course record holder.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

As we sat down and reflected on what were truly the greatest moments of the 2011 season one name kept coming up but we couldn't find a superlative that truly encompassed the greatness of this athlete. This athlete has consistently risen to the occasion and seems to have a quiet tenaciousness that combined with a race savvy like none else, produces an almost unbeatable package.

The athlete is Villanova Senior Sheila Reid. We knew we wanted to recognize her but didn't know what title to bestow upon her name. The first idea was to give her "Canadian of the Year" which, is a tremendous title especially when you consider how well Canucks have done this year. But that was too generic, bland and unFlotrack. So eventually we came to the idea of naming it after the Canadian Chuck Norris. Wayne Gretzky.

Who better to receive this award then a fellow Ontarioan ..Ontarianite ..(a person who is from Ontario). The two are just plain winners. Gretzky once said "A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."

Sheila has been able to craft races into her own blueprint. Her keen race senses are unparalleled and in 2011 almost unbeatable.

Indoors she anchored her Villanova crew to a DMR crown and was barely edged out in the 3k by Hasay. (Fortunately for her, the last place finish in the pee test was went virtually unnoticed and did not effect her indoor stats- 4:00 into vid)

Then Came Outdoors and Sheila was all business as she tore up the Blue Oval in Des Moines. Battling through A 1500 prelim on the second day, Sheila came back the next night to pull away and win the 5k in 15:37. The long weekend continued as she still had a tough, 1500m final on her plate. It came down to the wire again, but as usual, Sheila timed it right, winning in 4:14.57.

Cross Country brought a lot of pressure for the reigning NCAA champion. Reid didn't have an easy road to the championship opening her season at the Wisconsin Invitational. It came down to scene we all know to well. With Jordan and Sheila stride for stride going into the home stretch, Reid set the tone for her season and pulled away with a signature kick.

Reid Continued to roll, and in November arrived in Terre Haute with an undefeated season on her hands. The women's race seemed as though it was scripted it was so dramatic. Fjortoft of SMU took the race out hard and did all she could to not let the race come down to a kick. But with 400m to go, in almost slow motion, a pack of about five women hugged the turn and darted for the barely visible finish line and for a second, it looked as though someone might take down the reigning champ. (I wanted to insert a nickname here, but i don't think she has one yet..lets work on that. Gretzky is "The great one"..just saying) With 200 meters to go the two titans of NCAA XC broke forth and it came down to none other than Sheila and Jordan. It was tight, each inching in front of the other with syncopated strides. Then the barrier was broken and Sheila powered away across the finish line to defended her title.

The NHL has officially retired Gretzky's #99 from ever being used again. Sheila Could leave her Collegiate career with 13 All American Awards so how can Coach Procaccio immortalize Sheila once she leaves Nova and is toeing the line in London next summer?

I will deliver this award to Sheila personally and I will be wearing my best Canadian Tuxedo (Denim Jacket, Denim Jeans, Denim Attitude.)

Friday, December 23, 2011

Jen Rhines for the first time speaks openly about her DNF at the New York City marathon in November -- her first marathon in 5 years -- and her surprising decision to compete in the upcoming USA Olympic Marathon Trials in Houston on January 14th. She competed in the 2004 US marathon trials, where she finished 3rd and made Team USA. She finished 34th at the Olympics that year, in 2:43:52. Overall, Jen has competed in three previous Olympic Games for the USA: over 10,000 meters in 2000, the marathon in 2004, and over 5000 meters in 2008. Jen has indicated for well over a year that her intention for 2012 was to attempt to make the US team at 10,000 meters. Inasmuch as she has not completed a marathon since 2006, and given her recent DNF in New York, Jen would have to be considered a long shot to make the marathon squad this time. Rhines has a marathon PR of 2:29:32 (good for 4th place at the 2006 Rome Marathon).

Running the marathon trials next month does not, of course, preclude an attempt to make the team at 10,000 meters. That race will be held at the Olympic Trials on June 22nd in Eugene, Oregon. Her coach and husband (and former Villanova All-American) Terrence Mahon recently explained the decision to give it a go in Houston: "She's running. . . . We trained her to run New York in November off her track season, but I don't think we timed it right. She didn't adapt quickly enough. She wanted to give it another try, and I thought, 'Okay, let's run the Marathon Trials.' Her primary goal is still to run on the track in London. She's not going to race as aggressively as the other two [Mammoth TC competitors, Deena Kastor and Amy Hastings]. But if she runs smart and makes the Olympic Team, great. If she gets close to the third-place runner in the last six miles, that's not going to be good for the woman in third. But for Jen it's not an all-or-nothing situation the way it is for Deena."

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Team USA Announced for Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country - International Challenge12/21/2011

INDIANAPOLIS - Team USA will travel to Scotland for the second Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country - International Challenge on Jan. 7, 2012.

Teams from the United States, Great Britain and Northern Ireland and a select European team will compete in men’s and women’s junior and senior races. Each country competing in the International Team Challenge will consist of nine athletes per team (six on the junior teams) with the first six athletes per team (first four on the junior teams) scoring. In cross country, the team with the lowest overall score wins.

After only a senior men’s race was held in the inaugural event in 2011, Team USA will be in full force in the second running of the event. Bobby Mack (Raleigh, N.C.) is the sole returning athlete after finishing sixth last year to finish as the second American en route to the team’s silver medal.

Mack will be joined by team captain Bobby Curtis (Ardmore, Pa.) who ran the second fastest 10,000m time by an American in 2011 with his 27:24.67 effort at the Stanford Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational. Mack and Curtis will be joined by recent USATF National Club Cross Country Champion Jon Grey of (Minnetonka, Minn.) and Araon Braun (Flagstaff, Ariz.) who finished as the runner-up in the same race. The men’s squad is rounded out by Phil Reid (San Luis Obispo, Calif.), Colby Lowe (Southlake, Texas), Justin Tyner (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Landon Peacock (Blowing Rock, N.C.) and Robert Cheseret (Colorado Springs, Colo.).

Neely Spence (Shippensburg, Pa.) will lead the senior women’s team after finishing as the runner-up at the recent USATF Club Cross Country Championships. Spence will be joined by Alisha Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo.) who finished 4th in the same race and Sarah Porter (Blowing Rock, N.C.) the 2011 NCAA D-II 10,000m champion. Other team members include Katie DiCamillo (Providence, R.I.), Bethany Nickless (Santa Barbara, Calif.) Jamie Cheever (Minneapolis, Minn.), Laura Thweatt (Boulder, Colo.), Maggie Infeld (Washington, D.C.) and Betzy Jimenez (Austin, Texas).

The junior squads include a mix of outstanding high school seniors and collegiate freshman. On the women’s side, Aisling Cuffe (Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y.) a freshman at Stanford leads the team after being the top junior finisher for Team USA at the 2011 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Kaitlin Flattman (Benton, La.) was recently named the SEC freshman cross country runner of the year and will be joined on the U.S. squad by her teammate Jessica Jackson (Neosho, Mo.) from the University of Arkansas. High school athletes include the top two finishers from the recent Foot Locker Cross Country Championships, Molly Seidel (Hartland, Wisc.) and Erin Finn (West Bloomfield, Mich.), as well as the third place finisher from the Nike Cross Country Nationals, Katie Knight (Spokane, Wash.).

On the junior men’s side, Princeton freshman Eddie Owens (Brooklyn, N.Y.) leads the team after winning silver in the Junior Pan-American steeplechase in July. Other collegiate runners include Ohio State freshman Michael Bradjic (Bay Village, Ohio) and Oklahoma State freshman Kirubel Erassa (Grayson, Ga.). and Thomas Curtain (Leesburg, Va.) of Virginia Tech. The high school duo of Nathan Weitz, and Andrew Gardner both of Spokane, Wash. round out the squad.Weitz recently finished 3rd at the Foot Locker Championships while Gardner took 6th.

The 33rd Emerald Nuts Midnight Run in New York’s Central Park, which will ring in the New Year on Saturday, December 31, will feature a solid elite field led by Canadian Carmen Douma-Hussar and American Landon Peacock. Douma-Hussar, 34, an Olympian and Villanova alumnus, won the race in 2007 and was the runner-up last year. Peacock, 24, was the 2010 Big 10 indoor 5000m champion for Wisconsin and was recently second at the Manchester Road Race on Thanksgiving Day. Other top contenders include last year’s NCAA Division II 10,000m champion Sarah Porter, the 2010 ECAC 5000m champion Katie DiCamillo, the 2006 Midnight Run runner-up Stephanie Pezzullo, two-time Midnight Run champion and former course record holder Christian Hesch, the fifth place finisher at the Manchester Road Race Tim Ritchie, and the 2008 NCAA 5000m championships runner-up Stephen Pifer. The four-mile road race, which usually draws about 5000 New Year’s revelers, has an impressive elite tradition. Former champions include Irishman Marcus O’Sullivan, USA Olympian Amy Rudolph, and 2011 Boston Marathon runner-up Desiree Davila.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

PHILADELPHIA, Pa.--Senior Matthew Gibney (Albury, Australia) has been named to the 2011 Philadelphia Inquirer Academic All-Area Men's Cross Country Team, as announced on Tuesday morning by the Philadelphia Area Sports Information Directors Association. The award is based on both athletic and academic achievements and is voted on by local sports information directors. This is the first time that Gibney has won the award.

During the 2011 cross country season Gibney earned All-Mid Atlantic Region and All-BIG EAST honors while helping Villanova finish 13th as a team at the NCAA Championships, where the Wildcats placed 10 spots higher than last season. Gibney was one of the team's first two runners at each of the first four meets of the season, including coming in first on the team at both the BIG EAST Championships and the Paul Short Run.

Gibney placed fifth overall at both the conference meet and the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional and at the latter meet recorded a career-best 10K cross country time of 30:42. He came in fourth on the team and 109th overall at the national championships meet.

Outside of competition Gibney is a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star and last spring garnered Capital One Academic All-America third team honors for cross country and track & field. Gibney is an English major and maintains a 3.71 grade-point average.

Gibney also was named a Scholar-Athlete by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) last spring after a successful outdoor track season which saw him garner All-America honors in the 1500 meters and anchor Villanova to a Championship of America title in the distance medley relay at the Penn Relays.

Each year the sports information directors from 28 area institutions vote on the Academic All-Area Teams for 22 different sports, plus two at-large teams. The teams recognize those student-athletes who are best able to balance athletics with academics, and excel at both. Voting is based on both grades and athletic performance. An overall Performer of the Year is also chosen from each team, as well as a Male Performer of the Year and a Female Performer of the Year at the end of each academic year.

The Academic All-Area program is now in its seventh year. A list of the honorees for each fall sport will appear in the printed edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer at a later date.

Monday, December 19, 2011

NEW YORK, December 20, 2011 - Celebrated runner Eamonn Coghlan is coming back to the Millrose Games, this time as an ``adopted coach.'' The seven-time champion of the Wanamaker Mile is helping bring a talented Irish squad from Dublin City University to compete in the Byron Dyce College Men's Distance Medley Relay in the 105th Millrose Games, February 11, 2012 at the Armory.

``I've known these kids since they were young teenagers,'' said Coghlan, whose son, John, will be running the 1600m anchor. ``I've seen them grow up. The fact that they are all in school together, they can see what running in New York City is all about. It's exciting for their team from Dublin University to go to the Millrose Games and have a chance to do exceptionally well.

``The Irish used to come to the Millrose Games to support me, Marcus O'Sullivan (Wanamaker Mile champion in 1986, '88, '89, '90 and '92 and now head coach at Villanova) and Ron Delany (winner of four consecutive Wanamaker Mile titles, 1956-59). People are not aware of the talent coming out of Ireland. It might get them back on the scene again and they potentially could make the Olympic Team come next July.''

Earlier this year Eamonn Coghlan introduced to Armory Foundation president Dr. Norb Sander the idea of bringing an Irish Team to the Millrose Games. ``He asked me if I would be in on the floor activities,'' Coghlan recalled. ``I said we need a bit of the Irish influence back in the Millrose Games again. I said, `what about bringing an Irish team over?' ''

Thus Coghlan, nicknamed the Chairman of the Boards for winning the Wanamaker Mile in 1977, '79-'81, '83, '85 and '87, will be in attendance to support the talented Irish outfit.

``My role there is as a parent, coach and a nervous dad,'' Coghlan said. ``I just want to be with Norb and help keep the Millrose Games going. Enda would like my influence to be with the kids the day before and calm them down, motivate them and help them get ready.

``The Millrose Games are close to my heart for obvious reasons. My success in the Millrose Games has been the making of Eamonn Coghlan. Not a week goes by when someone doesn't say something to me about winning the Wanamaker Mile.''

The Irish Team will be competing against the country's top college programs including Eamonn Coghlan's alma mater Villanova, Virginia, Duke, Providence, Columbia and Albany.

The week prior to the Millrose Games, the Irish Team will participate individually in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational (Feb 3-4) at the Armory.

The event is raced over the marathon distance of 42.2km in six stages with each team having three men and three women.

US based Hugo Beamish had New Zealand ninth after the first 5km in 14m 23s. Leonora Petrina, also based in the States, ran 16m 27s for the next 5km leg with the team in eleventh spot. Matt Smith ran the next 10km stage in 31m 3s with fellow Cantabrian Fiona Crombie completing lap four over 5km in 16m 31s.

Stephen Lett clocked 31m 12s for the 10km on the penultimate lap and Lisa Robertson anchored New Zealand home in 2h 14m 37s after running the final 7.195km in 25m 1s. Kenya won in a course record of 2h 4m 40s, just 19 seconds ahead of Japan with a Japan University third in 2h 7m 26s.

The New Zealand men’s Ekiden relay record is 2h 0m 56s set in Chiba in 1991 and the national women’s record is 2h 15m 49s also set in Chiba in 1988.

In the 5000m races for the travelling reserves Zane Robertson finished second in a PB 13m 58.37s and Nicki McFadzien was fourth in the mixed race in 17m 13.72s.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

On November 5th, Long Island, NY's Kelsey Margey, a 17:25 5000 meter runner with 2:10 800 meter speed, won the New York section 8 cross country title in 17:49 and then promptly gave a verbal commitment to join Gina Procaccio's Villanova squad. She joins Pennsylvania's Angel Piccirillo as two star recruits who will enroll at Villanova in August. Margey ran her 5000 XC personal best cited above on October 15th when she won the Brown Invitational. At that point in the season Margey was ranked by MileSplit as the 17th best high school cross country runner in the United States. She'll help Villanova attempt to maintain its position of national excellence in cross country as the team loses two-time national champion Sheila Reid and three-time All American Bogdana Mimic.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Here's a news release from the Villanova University Athletic Department:

Sheila Reid Named First Team Recipient of NCAS Scholar Baller Academic Momentum Award

Reid is one of 49 student-athletes across all sports to be recognized for their academic performance

Dec. 12, 2011

ORLANDO, Fla.--Senior cross country and track student-athlete Sheila Reid (Newmarket, Ont.) is a recipient of the 2011 Academic Momentum Award and is a first team selection, as announced last week by The Scholar Baller Program, in conjunction with the National Consortium for Academics and Sports (NCAS). A total of 49 student-athletes nationwide were chosen for the award, which encompasses all sports.

Nominees for the Academic Momentum Award were selected based on each student-athlete's academic improvement and the impact each of their academic performances had on his or her classmates, teammates, academic advisors and professors. A total of 17 male and female award recipients from NCAS partner schools were selected for the first team, 16 recipients were chosen for the second team and 16 recipients were selected for the third team. There were 89 nominations received from 55 different colleges and universities.

Reid made headlines during the 2010-11 academic year by winning four national championships, including becoming the first woman in history to win both the 1,500 meters and the 5,000 meters in the same year at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. She also won the cross country individual national title and anchored Villanova to a national championship in the distance medley relay during the indoor track & field season.

Her academic accomplishments were just as impressive. While helping lead the cross country team to a second consecutive national championship in 2010, and winning her first individual national title in the process, Reid achieved a perfect 4.0 grade-point average for the Fall 2010 semester. She was named both the National Athlete of the Year and the National Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Following the conclusion of the 2010-11 academic year Reid was voted a Capital One First Team Academic All-American and was a `Top 3' finalist for the Honda-Broderick Cup, presented to the top female collegiate student-athlete in the nation. Reid doubled as the Honda Sports Award winner for both cross country and track & field during the year.Reid is a double major in English and Communications at Villanova and has been a four-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star during her collegiate career. She has a 3.408 composite GPA.

To this point the 2011-12 academic year is off to just as promising a start for Reid as last year. She repeated as the individual champion at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and won all four of her races during the fall season, also including the BIG EAST Championships and the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional. Reid finished her collegiate cross country career having won each of her last eight starts, and 13 of her 15 races overall dating back to the 2009 season.

Reid has used up her indoor collegiate eligibility but will rejoin the Wildcats during the outdoor track & field season this spring. To date her combined accomplishments in cross country and track & field add up to five national championships, 11 All-America honors and 12 BIG EAST titles.

The Third Team recipients of the Academic Momentum Award are Stephen Bailey (football, Florida International); Ashley Benson (volleyball, Indiana); Mark Dodds (baseball, Florida International); Janae Grimes (softball, San Jose City College); April Hutchens (softball, Valdosta State); Verdell Jones II (men's basketball, Indiana); Chanel King (men's track & field, St. John's); Lindsey Lamar (football, USF); Shelly Lyons (football, Arizona State); Geoffrey Navarro (men's track & field, Monmouth); DeShawn Painter (men's basketball, North Carolina State); Matthew Pierce (football, Valdosta State); Korney Rhoades (men's soccer, South Carolina); Kiersten Tupper (women's lacrosse, Connecticut); Athalia Smith (women's track & field, Sacred Heart); and Khymest Williams (football, UCF).The NCAS is an ever-growing organization of colleges and universities that provides opportunities for current and former student-athletes to continue their pursuit of higher education, while working in the community with children to address social issues. Established in 1985, the overall mission of the NCAS is "to create a better society by focusing on educational attainment and using the power appeal of sport to positively affect social change."

Established in 1995, the Scholar Baller movement evolved in response to concerns that the student-athlete's athletics role increasingly superseded the student role. In order to address this issue, the founding members of Scholar Baller developed a groundbreaking program to bridge the gap between education and sport utilizing student-athletes' passion for entertainment and athletics. As a result, the Scholar Baller program has produced unprecedented outcomes in student retention and academic achievement.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Over the past year or so Carrie Tollefson has given every indication that her professional running career is over. No major high-profile races, a budding media career back home in Minnesota, and a general sense of having "moved on" from the quest for another US Olympic team. Today in San Diego, Carrie was part of the media crew covering the Foot Locker Cross Country National Championships races. Here she is after the races at an autograph session:

Friday, December 9, 2011

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sheila Reid of Villanova University, who successfully defended her national championship title against the University of Oregon's Jordan Hasay, has been named the recipient of the 2012 Honda Sports Award in cross country. It marks the second time that the fifth-year senior from Newmarket, Ontario, has been tapped as the top female collegiate athlete in cross country by the Collegiate Women Sports Awards Program.

Reid's repeat victory as the individual NCAA champion came with a closing kick past her longtime rival in the final 150 meters of the race. Reid is a five-time All-American and chosen National Female Athlete of the Year by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for 2011. She made track history by winning both the 1,500-meter and 5,000-meter NCAA championships, an unprecedented double.."

"Over the last 12 months Sheila Reid has had one accomplishment after another," says Lynn Tighe, Villanova's Senior Woman Administrator. "She's a true champion in every sense of the word—on the track, in the classroom, and in the community."We were thrilled last year to be back in the mix with the Honda award after not being among the honorees for a number of years. It's an award that has become representative of topnotch female athletes. There's a lot of prestige connected to it."

As a high school student Reid was a standout runner in her native Canada. In her first year (2007) at Villanova, Reid qualified for the individual cross country championships. She suffered a hip injury in 2008 but returned to lead her team to NCAA titles in 2009 and 2010. That year she won her first NCAA individual crown by a two-second margin, the closest finish in women's Division I history. Reid, an English major, is a four-time Big East Academic All-Star, and a first-team Capitol One Academic All-American carrying a 3.4 GPA.

The Honda Sports Award is presented annually to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA-sanctioned sports. Reid becomes a finalist for the Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year and the Honda Cup. Reid was chosen by a vote of coaches from 1,000 NCAA member schools. Finalists included Hasay (Oregon), Abbey D'Agostino (Dartmouth College) and Emily Infield (Georgetown University).

Monday, December 5, 2011

The Villanova men and women opened the 2011-2012 indoor season over the weekend at the Jack Pyrah Invitational hosted by Haverford College. As is usual for the first indoor meet of the year, times and distances were pretty much unremarkable as the athletes began competition for the year. Such was not the case, however, for Shericka Ward, who broke two meet records (in the 55 meters and 300 meters), and freshman Faith Dismuke who herself set a new meet standard in the 500 meters, surpassing Makalia Griffith's previous record from 2006. Freshman Leanne Tucker made her Villanova debut a winning one, taking the 800 meters in 2:20.32. Other winners were Amanda Borroughs in a tight 1000 meters (3:30.32), Emerald Walden over the 55 meter hurdles (8.19), and Kathleen McPhillips in the pole vault (3.65 meters).

For the men, thrower Frank Anuszewski won both the shot and weight throw, setting new PRs in each event and setting a new meet record with his 18.69 meter weight throw. Freshman Elbert Maxwell set a new meet record in the long jump, going 7.23 meters on his initial effort. Other Villanova winners were Sam Ellison in the 1000 meters (2:33.80), Greg Morrin in the 3000 meters (8:40.31), and Chris Dougherty in the pole vault (4.40 meters).

Next up for the squads is the Gotham Cup in New York City on January 13th at the Armory.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Carrie Tollefson returned to Negril, Jamaica this weekend and successfully defended her 2010 10K crown at the Raggae Marathon race fest. She ran 36:17 for the win (Carrie ran 35:05 last year on this course). While at Villanova, Tollefson won 3 NCAA titles over 3000 meters and a fourth at 5000 meters (in addition to an individual XC title); she won the US Olympic Trials 1500 meters in 2004.

NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Three runners retained their titles at the 11th Reggae Marathon yesterday along the Norman Manley Boulevard.Carrie Tollefson of Minnesota United States in the 10K for female (36:17.0), Kirk Brown in the half-marathon (1:12.20), and Rupert Green in the marathon (2:32.0) returned atop the podium.

The winners in the 10K had new record times as the course is now officially IAAF-certified. Oraine Wint Bellefield clocked 32:29.0 to finish ahead of Andre Headley GC Foster (33:29.0) and Nembhard Palmer of Bellefield (34:03.0).Jhevere Hall (40:48.0) was second behind Tollefslon, while Molly-Ann Blake was next in 41:01.0.

Christina Dotson of Bermuda won the female race in 1:39.26 ahead of Kishka-Kaye O'Connor (1:44.43), and Sara Gress of Port Antonio (1:45.12).

Green (unattached) finished ahead of Colin Graham (3:8.24), and Herv Bacon of France (3:12.7), while first-timer Jenifer Goebel of Chicago clocked 3:07.59, Karlene Blagrove 3:36.51 and Soile Peltoniemi-Ni of Finland 3:51.41 to finish in that order.According to race director Alfred Francis, "The marathon was good and it will enhance our long-distance runners.

"The course is certified and it means that if you run a world record it will stand; if you want to qualify for the Olympics, World Championship you can do it on the Reggae Marathon course," he said.

"This is the first time the 10K course is certified, so whatever time was run on it is a record...," he pointed out.